The Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands north of Decatur, Texas, is where the wild things live. The federally administered natural area doesn’t conform to the image that most people have of rolling hills of prairie grass and open spaces.
Instead of an open prairie, the grassland is a mixture of high bluffs with scenic views; sharp valleys clogged with thick stands of oak, walnut, and pine trees; and four small lakes surrounded by the ancient forest. Of course, there are also boundless meadows covered in tall grass and dotted with wildflowers where butterflies dance.
Unlike most natural areas, the LBJ National Grasslands is a patchwork quilt of 73 parcels protecting more than 20,250 acres in Wise and Montague counties. When the federal government began purchasing tracts in 1937 around the end of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, most of the land had been overgrazed and badly scarred by erosion.
Under the stewardship of a series of governmental agencies, the land has regenerated a complex mosaic of ecosystems. The rugged landscape is now home to healthy populations of game and a number of species of birds.
In 1970, the area was renamed for the former president from Texas. Along with its sister natural area, the Caddo National Grasslands in northeast Texas, the LBJ preserve is the southern- and easternmost national grassland administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
From a conservation point of view, the LBJ National Grasslands protects some of the largest remaining tracts of the Cross Timbers and the Post Oak Savanna. The ecosystems are the remnants of an ancient forest that separated the eastern deciduous forests and the grasslands of the southern plains. The unique mixture of geography, plants, and animal communities makes the area an incredibly diverse habitat.
Not only does the forest service maintain the property for conservation and allows cattle grazing, but the park also provides ample recreational opportunities. There are more than 75 miles of trails through the woodlands open to horses, hiking, and mountain biking. Of the three main campgrounds, Black Creek Lake is the most scenic and developed. Primitive camping is also allowed in most of the units. Road cycling is popular on the miles of county roads that lace the wilderness tracts together.
The LBJ National Grasslands begin about seven miles north of Decatur. Stop at the Forest Service office on U.S. 287 to pick up a map. The tracts are often used by hunters, and the rangers can give valuable information on what areas to avoid. For more information, call 940/627-5475.
If you can’t schedule a visit, maybe you can make a donation to the Forest Service’s Plant-a-Tree Program to memorialize a loved one or commemorate a special event. Donations of $10 or more help re-establish more wild places. For information, call the USDA Forest Service office in Lufkin at 936/639-8501 or at www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/index.shtml.
958th in a series. Day Trips, Vol. 2, a book of “Day Trips” 101-200, is available for $8.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling, and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, PO Box 33284, South Austin, TX 78704.
This article appears in November 13 • 2009.
